Viking warship that dwarfed the Mary Rose and terrorised Europe to make one last journey from Denmark to UK as it heads for British Museum

She would have been one of the most magnificent vessels leading an imposing fleet of Viking longships each crammed full of war-hungry invaders.

The sight of such an unfathomable maritime approach would have been terrifying; their arrival signified imminent terror and there would have been little British peasants could do to protect themselves from attack.

Now, one of the most commanding vessels from a Viking fleet is to cross the channel one last time from Denmark to the UK to settle into position at the British Museum. Her installation will be a constant reminder of darker days in British history.

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Discovered in 1996
in waters close to Roskilde ship museum, the giant timbers have
undergone a meticulous preservation process; of very slowly drying them
to avoid crumbling like dust, then replacing the lost moisture with a
synthetic resin.

The
timbers, some measuring 10 metres, have laid underwater since the 11th
century and were found by chance during excavation to extend the
existing boat museum to house further Viking ships.

Dwarfing the Mary Rose: The giant Roskilde 6, which measures 36 metres is four metres longer than Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose, pictured at Portsmouth Docks, built 500 years later

Magnificent: Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose (Mary Rose TX pictured) would have been a magnificent sight in her heyday, but still would have been smaller than the Roskilde 6

As they dug in new foundations, the
construction team found a treasure trove of Viking longships - the
remains of nine vessels, the Roskilde 6 being the largest.

Historians say the Vikings sank their old vessels to narrow the fjord and to protect the town from maritime attacks.

Thanks to the British Museum's
forthcoming launch of its new exhibition space, which will be big enough to house the entire vessel, funds were made available to restore the
Roskilde 6.

Speedy: The Roskilde 6 would have looked similar to the reconstructed Sea Stallion, pictured, which made its maiden voyage in 2007

Streamline: The unique design of the vessels allowed for dual wind and muscle power, with scores of giant heavy oars pertruding from each side of the ship

Replica: There have been a number of ambitious replicas of Viking ships in recent years, including this 30 m long Havhingsten (Seastallion), pictured sailing into the fjord of Roskilde, after a trip to Oslo and Tonsberg in Norway, in 2006

After having been transported in two containers, by freighter and lorry, she is set to feature as the star attraction in London
from early 2014.

The full
restoration is taking place in giant steel tanks at the Danish
museum's conservations centre, in Brede, near Copenghagen. Completion is planned for June when she will be first unveiled in Denmark at the museum's Viking exhibition.

Terror: The sight of such an unfathomable maritime approach would have been terrifying; their arrival signified imminent terror

Reconstruction: Every year men dressed as Vikings remind the people of Edinburgh of the brutal and terrifying Nordic attacks, during Hogmanay processions

Rape and pillage: The Shetland Isles also remember the terrors of Viking invasions, with their annual Up Helly Aa festival in Lerwick

The ship would have carried around 100 warriors, although men would have been crammed in like lemmings.

Speed:

With dual wind and manpower, Viking longboats were surprisingly fast. The reconstructed Sea Stallion averaged 5.5 knots and had a top speed of 20 knots.

History:

Roskilde 6 was likely built some time soon after 1025 when the oak trees were felled.

Historians suggest it may have been built for King Canute.

It was deliberately sunk with eight other longboats to narrow the fjord and maritime access to Roskilde.

Taking
pride of place at the exhibition in London will aptly mirror her
previous working life. The biggest in the fleet, such grand and luxury
ships were fabulously expensive to build and a monumental display of
power, according to Gareth Williams, of the British museum.

Most
likely leading a fleet of up to 100 fast-moving longships, with their
high and imposing pointed bows, swollen bellies holding thousands of
troops and giant square, billowing sails, the Roskilde 6 herself would
have carried at least 100 warriors.

The unique design of the vessels
allowed for dual wind and muscle power, with scores of giant heavy oars
protruding from each side of the ship like legs of a centipede. The
Roskilde 6 had 39 pairs of oars.

Such hard labour required incredibly strong men, a reason the Vikings were so revered for their sheer size and strength.

It also meant Viking longboats, while being uncomfortable, were speedy.

A recent British reconstruction, known as the Sea Stallion, managed an average speed of 5.5 knots and a top speed of a staggering 20 knots - the same speed as average cruise liners.

Aboard the vessel, men would have been tightly packed with little room for supplies. Long-lasting fuels, such as ale, mead and dried salt mutton, were likely to have been common on ship.